This invention relates to a power transmission member having opposed spline ends at an annular groove such as for holding a snap ring.
Snap ring grooves have previously been formed in splined power transmission members by material removal such as grinding. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,772 Killop et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,980 Killop et al. disclose toothed racks that have elongated blade members with a progressively increasing height for deforming a workpiece to form the entirety of an annular groove with a uniform cross-section. Such forming necessarily exerts significant pressure on the elongated blade members and results in wear that can require early replacement of the associated toothed racks.
One object of the present invention is to provide an improved power transmission member.
In carrying out the above object, the power transmission member of the invention has a generally round shaft with a central axis and rolled splines spaced about and extending along the central axis of the shaft. An annular groove is provided in the shaft with the splines located on opposite sides thereof along the central axis. The annular groove has side surfaces that are spaced from each other along the central axis of the shaft. The splines have axial ends that oppose each other and that are spaced from each other axially along the central axis slightly less than the axial spacing along the central axis between the side surfaces of the annular groove.
The above construction as is hereinafter described lends itself to economical manufacturing with the spline ends precisely located to position a snap ring used to axially position the power transmission member during use.
In the preferred construction of the power transmission member, the ends of the splines are spaced from each other in the range of 0.002 to 0.010 of an inch (i.e., 0.005 to 0.025 of a centimeter) less than the spacing between the side walls of the annular groove.
The annular groove of the power transmission member is also preferably provided with an annular root surface that is work hardened to provide strengthening.
The objects, features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.